1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to a modulator integrated type refrigerant condenser to be incorporated into the refrigerating cycle of air conditioners, freezers or refrigerators, for example. More particularly, the present invention relates to a modulator integrated type refrigerant condenser which can provide a large effective radiation area of a core in which a condensing part and a supercooling part are respectively disposed in the upper and lower parts thereof.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventionally, a refrigerant condenser and a receiver jointly forming a refrigerating cycle of an air conditioner for a vehicle, for example, have been connected to the high-pressure side of the refrigerating cycle. For this structure, these components should have sufficient strength so they are not deformed or damaged under high pressure. For this reason, high-pressure containers for a refrigerant condenser such as a header and a receiver should preferably be cylindrically-shaped to meet the structural requirement.
A well-known example which can satisfy this structural requirement is a refrigerating cycle in which a refrigerant condenser and a receiver are separately and independently provided. In this arrangement, however, joints such as pipes should be provided to connect the outlet of the refrigerant condenser and the inlet of the receiver. This poses a problem in that the reduction of the number of parts, i.e., the reduction of the product cost and assembly productivity, is difficult due to these interconnections. Another problem with this arrangement is that since respective independent mounting spaces are required for the refrigerant condenser and the receiver, space cannot be utilized in the most efficient manner.
In view of these problems, Japanese Unexamined Utility Model No. 2-103667 discloses a modulator integrated type refrigerant condenser including a modulator having a second inner space extending in the height direction of a core is connected to the back wall of an outlet side header to which an outlet composed of a plurality of tubes is connected. Also, the modulator has a first inner space extending in the height direction of the core and a through passage for communicating between the first inner space of the outside header and the second inner space of the modulator.
Specifically, the modulator integrated type refrigerant condenser is structured so that, as indicated by the chained, double-dotted line in FIG. 1, the cylindrical modulator 102 larger in diameter than the outlet side header 101 is disposed adjacent to the outlet side header 101 in the width direction thereof (in the longitudinal direction of the plurality of tubes 38), and furthermore, the outlet of the outlet side header 101 communicates with the inlet of the modulator 102 via the through passage (not shown).
It should be noted, however, that the refrigerant circulating quantity within the refrigerating cycle varies depending on automotive driving conditions, the environment, etc., and that the modulator should have a volume of approximately 150 to 200 cm.sup.3 to absorb the variations in the refrigerant quantity. In order to secure this much volume and enable the modulator to be mounted to the header of the refrigerant condenser, the cross-section of the modulator should be enlarged.
When the cross-section of the inner space of the modulator is enlarged in an attempt to solve this problem, it is natural that the bulk of the modulator increases. In other words, as the width of the bulk of the part of the modulator projecting from the header increases, the width of the dead space which does not contribute to the heat exchange of refrigerant with a heat medium increases.
In particular, when the mounting space of the refrigerant condenser can not be made arbitrarily large as is the case with an automotive engine compartment, the size of the refrigerant condenser in the width direction of the core should be shortened as much as the increase in the modulator volume, i.e., the dead space, and this adjustment poses a problem in that the effective radiation area of the core is reduced.
Accordingly, it is a primary object of the present invention to provide a modulator integrated type refrigerant condenser which can prevent a reduction in the effective radiation area of the core by reducing the width of the dead space.
It is also an objective of the present invention to provide a modulator integrated type refrigerant condenser which has a modulator volume large enough to absorb variations in circulating refrigerant quantity.